The Face of the Unknown: Star Trek: The Original Series

Investigating a series of violent raids by a mysterious predatory species, Captain James T. Kirk discovers that these events share a startling connection with the First Federation, a friendly but secretive civilization contacted early in the USS Enterprise's five-year mission. Traveling to the First Federation in search of answers, the Enterprise suddenly comes under attack from these strange marauders. Seeking refuge, the starship finds its way to the true home of the First Federation, an astonishing collection of worlds hidden from the galaxy beyond.

Captain to Captain: Star Trek Legacies, Book 1

Hidden aboard the USS Enterprise is a secret that has been passed from captain to captain, from Robert April to Christopher Pike to James T. Kirk. Now the return of the enigmatic woman once known as Number One has brought that secret to light, and Kirk and his crew must risk everything to finish a mission that began with April so many years ago.

Jim &#34;The Impatient&#34; says:"I'M A DOCTOR, I KNOW HOW TO KEEP A SECRET"

Hell's Heart: Prey, Book 1

When Klingon commander Kruge died in combat against James T. Kirk on the Genesis planet back in 2285, he left behind a powerful house in disarray - and a series of ticking time bombs: the Phantom Wing, a secret squadron of advanced Birds-of-Prey; a cabal of loyal officers intent on securing his heritage; and young Korgh, his thwarted would-be heir, willing to wait a Klingon lifetime to enact his vengeance.

Enigma Tales: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Elim Garak has ascended to Castellan of the Cardassian Union...but despite his soaring popularity, the imminent publication of a report exposing his peoples' war crimes during the occupation on Bajor looks likely to set the military against him. Into this tense situation come Dr. Katherine Pulaski - visiting Cardassia Prime to accept an award on behalf of the team that solved the Andorian genetic crisis - and Dr. Peter Alden, formerly of Starfleet Intelligence.

Star Trek X: The Lost Years (Adapted)

After the end of the Enterprise™'s five-year mission, Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy struggle to establish new lives apart from one another and the starship. The newly promoted Admiral Kirk is placed in charge of a specially created Starfleet division and attempts to defuse a critical hostage situation; Mr. Spock, who, in the midst of a teaching assignment on Vulcan, finds the one thing he least expected; and Dr. McCoy, whose unerring instinct for trouble lands him smack in the middle of an incident that could trigger an interstellar bloodbath.

Hearts and Minds: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Continuing their exploration of the Odyssean Pass, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the starship Enterprise discover what they at first believe is a previously uncharted world, with a civilization still recovering from the effects of global nuclear war. An astonishing priority message from Starfleet Command warns that there's more to this planet than meets the eye, and Picard soon realizes that the mysteries of this world may well weave through centuries of undisclosed human history....

Headlong Flight: Star Trek: The Next Generation

An exhilarating thriller from best-selling author Dayton Ward set in the universe of Star Trek: The Next Generation, following Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew as they explore the previously uncharted and dangerous Odyssean Pass.

Star Trek: Spock vs. Q (Adapted)

Ambassador Spock travels back in time to subtly warn Earth's inhabitants of impending doom while calling into question humanity's priorities. However, before the truth is told, the all-powerful being, Q, appears and reminds Spock that he is prohibited from interfering in Earth's history. Besides, Q doesn't see mankind as something worth saving.

Star Trek Movie Tie-In

In the far reaches of the galaxy, a machine of war bursts into existence in a place and time it was never meant to be. On a mission of retribution for the destruction of his planet, its half-mad captain seeks the death of every intelligent being, and the annihilation of every civilized world. Kirk and Spock, two completely different and unyielding personalities must find a way to lead the only crew, aboard the only ship, that can stop him.

Star Trek, The Next Generation: The Dark Mirror (Adapted)

One hundred years ago, 4 crewmembers of the U.S.S. Enterprise™ crossed the dimensional barrier and found a mirror image of their own universe, populated by nightmare duplicates of their shipmates. Barely able to escape with their lives, they returned, thankful that the accident which had brought them there could not be duplicated...or so they thought. But now the scientists of that empire have found a doorway into our universe. Their plan is to destroy from within, to replace a Federation Starship with one of their own.

Star Trek: Probe (Adapted)

Ten years have passed since Captain Kirk and the Enterprise™ crew brought back humpbacked whales from the 20th century to communicate with the mysterious Probe which threatened Earth. The Probe is returning to Earth and has plotted its course, and the Enterprise must continue to delve into the mystery of its language, and its cosmic purpose to save Earth once again.

Star Trek: Into Darkness: Star Trek Movie Novelizations, Book 2

Pioneering director J. J. Abrams has delivered an explosive action thriller that takes Star Trek into darkness. When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Star Trek: The Return (Adapted)

Legends never die....Old friends are reunited and ancient secrets revealed as Kirk, Spock, Picard, Riker, Data, and all of the Federation's best and brightest are enmeshed in a cosmic saga that will test their strengths and loyalties to the very limit. A personal tale of tragedy and triumph that could only have been written - and read - by William Shatner!

Star Trek: Epiphany - The Vulcan's Soul Trilogy, Book Three

Exodus and Exiles, the first two parts of the Vulcan's Soul Trilogy, introduced a brewing conflict that threatens the galaxy. In this final chapter, the secret history of the Romulans is revealed. And to stave off an escalation of galactic warfare, Spock and his allies race across time and space to confront a terrifying interstellar menace.

The City on the Edge of Forever

The original teleplay that became the classic Star Trek episode, with an expanded introductory essay by Harlan Ellison, The City on the Edge of Forever has been surrounded by controversy since the airing of an "eviscerated" version - which subsequently has been voted the most beloved episode in the series' history. In its original form, The City on the Edge of Forever won the 1966-67 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Teleplay. As aired, it won the 1967 Hugo Award.

Star Trek: Exodus - The Vulcan's Soul Trilogy, Book 1 (Adapted)

Following their best sellers Vulcan's Forge and Vulcan's Heart, Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz embark on a new trilogy chronicling the latter-day adventures of one of Star Trek's most beloved characters, shedding new light on his world's shocking history.

Publisher's Summary

Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson, is dying, and Spock returns to the planet Vulcan where he and Sarek enjoy a rare moment of rapprochement. But just as his wife's illness grows worse, duty calls Sarek away, once again sowing the seeds of conflict between father and son. Yet soon Sarek and Spock must put aside their differences and work together to foil a far-reaching plot to destroy the Federation, a plot that Sarek has seen in the making for nearly his entire career.

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise journeys to the heart of the Klingon Empire where Captain Kirk's last surviving relative has become a pawn in a battle to divide and conquer the Federation. With Sarek's help, the crew of the Starship Enterprise learns that all is not as it seems. But before they can prevent the Federation's destruction, they must see the face of their hidden enemy, an enemy more insidious and more dangerous than any they have faced before.

As I write this, I realize it's been nearly 4 months since we lost Leonard Nimoy. This is the first Star Trek novel I've read since then, and having been a fan for decades, it's a hard one to wrestle with. I rarely bother with Trek audiobooks for two reasons. First, most of them are abridged, which bothers me to no end. Second, most of them feel like second-rate fan fiction, rarely expanding upon the mythos in a way that seems credible or even in a way that matters. I used to devour the novels like mad in my teens and 20s, and when they were good, they were really good. But then the novel series as a whole hit a rut, and I stopped cold. I think I've read maybe 3 Trek novels since in the past 20 years. I'm discovering that I may have a need to reinvest in some of those missed novels, and as such Pocket Books and Audible need to deliver some more unabridged content because I can't read paper books as quickly as I used to back then.

A.C. Crispin is one of the few Trek authors that I've always respected. She understood the core characters, she had a grasp for what made Trek tick in a way that felt right (a rarity since the mid-90s), and above all she understood the Vulcans. Her work in this regard always seemed an extension of the foundations laid out by D.C. Fontana (and that legacy continues here). And yet... this novel is one that was published years after I bailed out of that rut. So now, decades later, I find it on Audible, unabridged, and so very timely. The result is a bittersweet reunion of sorts.

In the wake of the Abrams reboot unceremoniously killing Spock's mother Amanda in the equally unceremonious scrapping of Vulcan, this book carries this old fan back to the versions of characters I knew so well... to be confronted with Amanda's death. The effect of how well this is delivered is that you grieve right along with Spock and Sarek. At the same time, you get to know all three of them again in the years before the original series via Amanda's journal entries. That's layer one of the nostalgia factor this plays upon.

Layer two of that nostalgia is that this novel is focused in the wake of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, aka the final voyage of the Enterprise under Kirk's command, or so we were told. This book not only ignores the sentimental conclusion to that film, but it outright defies the illogical conclusion that Enterprise even needed decommissioning so quickly as Kirk and Sarek are pulled into a conspiracy that goes far deeper than the film suggested. What else is nostalgia for, if not to help revisit old friends right where you last left them decades before? While it's a bit distracting at times, it should be noted that the accepted timeline of the films (which you can now find easily with a quick online search) goes right out the window here, suggesting frequently that the events of Trek III take place a mere three years before this book. And that is literally the worst thing I can say about this book.

Layer three of the nostalgia involves reiterating how much time has passed by showing us how much Kirk's nephew has grown, a character not mentioned since his single appearance in the original series. As he's become the target of the conspiracy, designed to bait Kirk, this aspiring Starfleet cadet is the sole survivor of the family line who must ultimately prove his worthiness to the name. So we get the past, the present, and the future in one cohesive story that picks up right where the original generation left off, helping to fill in some of the gaps on the road to The Next Generation. The conspiracy deals not only with the Klingons, but also with the Romulans in a plot that stretches back over 70 years. And because we've been given Trek content since this novel's publication, we can see now how some of this potentially points back to the fallout of events decades before that on the timeline that we watched on Star Trek: Enterprise. That's four major Trek races, three generations of beloved characters, and a plot that fills in some of the unanswered questions in two otherwise fuzzy eras (pre-TOS and post film series), all delivered by a writer who knows how to juggle all of this and make it count.

Aside from the compressed timeline, everything else here feels right. The politics of Star Trek are prominently on display. The racial characterizations and stereotypes are both played upon and swept aside as this uncertain era unfolds. The individual characters are written to spec, with all of their mannerisms and foibles in place. As a bonus, the narrator gives a cadence to his performance of them that stops short of mimicry or an outright spoof, so the effect comes across honestly. The overall result is a book that comes across as both welcome fan service and solid Star Trek in the grand tradition that the powers-that-be seem to have forgotten. For this fan, it's like coming home.

No mind blowing sci fi apart from that already established in the source material but a well crafted story. I don't know why there aren't more unabridged Trek Titles. Unless this is attributable to Pocket's perceived need to hire Trek actors to read the books. This narrator was wonderful, he subtly impersonates the characters as portrayed by the performers associated with them but more importantly he lends just the right amount of tone and texture to the prose. If more full size Trek books appear I'll certainly spend my credits on them. Well, if they're TOS. The TNG and after stuff is probably better but I just don't get a geek on for it.

lol, well no because I don't need to re-listen to anything. But definitely loved listening to it!

Which scene was your favorite?

the scenes telling of serek's past and relationship with Amanda.I also liked how they introduced the part of Spock's decision to try and see if bringing volcans and romulans together again. TNG didn't really explain much, and since they reset the series with the new movie, don't think we'll get much explanation of the after math.

Any additional comments?

I don't see the point of having ABRIDGED versions of books. the 14 hrs didn't feel like 14 it felt more like 5 and I was wanting more at the end. This was a good book, almost like comfort and I like the additional characters. I wish they talked more about how the other volcans adapted and the young couple.

This story takes place after the final movie with the original cast (Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country). Well written, and well narrated; made me start looking for other pocket books with no luck. Hope Audible produces more....

Absolutely love this story! The best of Star Trek adventure pacing with some real human emotions, feelings, and relationships! I hope there are more from AC Crispin and Nick Sullivan (who does a stellar job of both male and female!).

Definitely worth it if you're a Star Trek fan. It takes place just after Star Trek V (Kirk and Bones escape the Klingon prison planet, the crew show up just to foil the assassination of the Chancellor, etc). It ties much of the political upheaval that must have occurred afterwards into an interesting story. The narrator does a great job of taking you back to the original characters with inflections and pace. Strongly recommend!!! I am stingy with a "5," and this one's a strong B.

Does what a good Star Trek novel should do: Sarek takes the reader further than the series would dare to go. It rides the success of "Spock's World" and the reader gets more info about the lives of Spock's father Sarek and mother Amanda. The adventures of Kirk's nephew, Peter were also quite entertaining. Nick Sullivan does a dutiful job as narrator (I'd listen to him again). I hope to see more unabridged Star Trek novels in the future.

This is a great Trek story. It satisfies our curiosity about the Rich legend of our favorite Vulcan/Human first officer, Nicely shows the continuity between the Captain and the nephew we barely met but always wanted to know more about and includes all a favorite Aliens. Best of all though, it's a freaking great story! All the characters are well drawn out and you care about all of them even the bad guys. Loved every minute of it! More please!

Best Star Trek audio book I've listened to. Reader excellent and the story held my interest and attention till the very end. Would like to have access to more unabridged books.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

MR C.

12/17/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"At last a unabridged Star Trek audio book!!!!"

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator did a very good job on this audiobook. He gave each character a distinct and recognisable voice. I found the story really interesting and it is very well written. I just hope there will be more unabridged Star Trek audio books on Audible. Hopefully by this narrator.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

andy

3/11/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"new insights into sarek"

Where does Sarek rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

as a Star Trek fan listening to familiar charterers and reference to known star trek series and film situations was a real treat . I would rank the book quite high , well read and enjoyable

What did you like best about this story?

the way known star trek scenes and relationships were woven into the story

Any additional comments?

any Trekkie would find the story " fascinating "

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

F. Varga

8/18/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"One of the best Star Trek novels"

The first Star Trek novel I read in the early nineties as a teenager was A. C. Crispin's Time for Yesterday, and it was number one on my list of Star Trek books until I encountered Sarek.

Don't let the title mislead you into thinking this is some spin-off. This book is as much a great Kirk-Spock-McCoy adventure as any other Star Trek story, even though the conflict centers around Spock's father, and we get to learn a lot of interesting details about his relationship with his son Spock and wife Amanda.

The Narrator does an excellent job with the voices, you can see every character with your mind's eye.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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